If we were to dissolve,' he continued, 'and were to have the parties equal as they are now, it would be very bad; if we _were_ to have a _majority_, it would be a great thing; _but_ if we were to have a minority it would be still worse....

We know that Charles I.and Charles II., and even Cromwell, appealed to the country, and had a Parliament returned into their very teeth' (so strong an Opposition), 'and that produced deposition, and convulsion, and bloodshed and death; but since then the Crown has always had a majority returned in favour of it.

Even Queen Anne,' he continued, 'who removed Marlborough in the midst of his most glorious victories and dissolved Parliament, had an immense majority, though her measures were miserable; William IV.,' he said, 'even though he had a majority against him which prevented him from keeping his Ministers, had a much stronger feeling for him in that Parliament, than he ever had before.

But I am afraid,' he added, 'that for the first time the Crown would have an Opposition returned smack against it; and that would be an affront to which I am very unwilling to expose the Crown.' This is very true." [Pageheading: KING LEOPOLD'S SYMPATHY] _The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._ TUILERIES, _14th May 1841._ MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I am deeply grateful for your kind letter, which reached me this morning.

Letters from hence ought not to be longer on their way than, at the longest, forty hours; forty-eight is the maximum.